


A Different Destiny

by wtf_will_graham



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: AU-gust 2020, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M, One Shot, i've been looking for some prompts, so gonna see how far I get
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:42:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25659925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wtf_will_graham/pseuds/wtf_will_graham
Summary: Will Graham is a warrior destined to destroy two Rings of Power. Hannibal Lecter is a court wizard who has helped him decipher where they are hidden.
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Kudos: 6
Collections: AUgust 2020





	A Different Destiny

Will crept slowly through the dungeon, heart pounding, rapier at the ready. For so many years he had pursued the paired Rings of Power. For the first time, he felt he truly knew he would finally find them. Finally be able to fulfill his destiny to destroy them and rid the lands of their threat. 

It was Hannibal, the court wizard who had become his mentor, and even his friend, who had helped him decode the final clue. “Sometimes we hide the truth from ourselves, refuse to see what is before us.” The location of the Rings had been hidden in the open, described clearly in the bardic song once Will opened his mind to see it. 

Will had to admit he was disappointed Hannibal had rebuffed his offer to join him on trip deep into the mountains to the ancient dungeon. So long a man who preferred to travel alone, Will had to admit the journey felt flat without Hannibal’s company. 

But enough of those thoughts, he must keep his mind on the prize. 

His eyes were well adjusted to the deep gloom. The faintest light crept out along the edges of the floor several paces ahead. The threshold to a door revealing itself. Will steadied his breath and opened his ears to catch any sound. The faintest hints of at least one person beyond the door. They seemed to be…singing to themselves. “Good,” thought Will. “I’ve not yet given myself away.”

Will crept to the door, and his hand found a handle. He thought a few words in an old tongue, and the inner workings of the door painted themselves in his mind. There was no lock, and the mechanisms were well maintained. He would be able to open the door nearly silently. 

And so he turned the handle, and pushed the door open. It swung open cleanly revealing a well lit chamber. Unlike the rest of the damp dungeon, it was airy and fresh, filled with the clean scent of the fresh fir boughs carefully laid around the edges of the room. At the far end, a simple table held a box. 

And in the middle of the room, back to him, was Hannibal. Will couldn’t suppress his gasp of surprise. Hannibal turned around slowly. No longer the wan, tight man Will had spent so many hours with in libraries. Now he was lithe, tall, suffused with warmth. His golden eyes twinkled and a smile played across his lips. “Will, I’m so glad you’ve finally come.” 

“You sent me here…why?” Will’s mind swirled, dancing towards obvious conclusions and then dashing away, unwilling to entertain them. 

“You convinced me you were finally ready.” 

“Ready for what?”

“To claim your prize. To claim your place beside me.” Hannibal gestured to the box and stepped back, giving Will plenty of room to approach. 

Will walked to the box, keeping his drawn rapier between them. It was a wooden box, exquisitely made, inlaid with ebony and mother of pearl. Just as described in the legends. 

He brought his left hand to the box, and paused. He looked to Hannibal, whose smile grew wider, gesturing at the box. “Please. Open it.”

Will opened the the box. Two compartments, lined with black silk. One holding a silver ring inlaid with a band of ruby.

And one empty. Will’s heart sank. So many years searching and to only find one of the pair.

“Where’s the other Ring?” Will’s voice cracked.

Hannibal waived his hand again. The gold band lined with ruby glinted in the torchlight filling the room. A ring Will had seen so many times. A ring he’d caught himself staring at time and time again. 

Will filled with rage. He raised his rapier and slowly walked towards Hannibal, until the tip hovered at his breast. 

“All this time. You knew it was my sworn destiny to find the Rings and destroy them, and you distract me with games to find some trinkets?” 

Hannibal smiled softly. “These are no trinkets, Will. These are the Rings you seek. I brought you here because it’s time you see your destiny is not to destroy them. It’s to join me. We will use them. Together.”

Will swallowed. He knew he should fall back on decades of training, since childhood. Destroy Hannibal, recover the Rings, and destroy them. Why was he hesitating?

“Open yourself up to what your mind is telling you, Will. You know in your heart this is the greatness you are truly meant for.” 

Will felt himself responding to Hannibal. They’d had long talks about whether the Rings were truly evil, or if they could be used for good. Will realized Hannibal had been planting the seeds for so long, to bring him to this moment. 

He didn’t want to believe he could be lured away from the path he’d followed so long. “No,” said Will. “I cannot betray my training.” He pushed his sword arm closer to Hannibal, tensing to strike. 

As the tip touched Hannibal’s chest, the entire weapon glowed forge hot. Will yelped involuntarily and dropped it. 

Hannibal remained in place, voice calm. “Come now, Will. You’ve made your show. Now take your Ring and your place by my side.”

The resistance broke inside Will, and he could deny himself no longer. He turned to the box, and deftly scooped up the silver Ring. He closed the distance between them, and presented the Ring to Hannibal on his blistered hand. 

Hannibal took the Ring. He looked for a moment and Will’s wounded hand, muttered some words, and gently blew upon it. Will felt a shiver of pleasure from the air, and watched the blisters disappear. 

Hannibal then gently slid the Ring onto Will’s ring finger. Will felt a surge of clarity, strength, and purpose wash over him. 

Hannibal held his own ringed hand close, for them both to admire. They were silent for a moment. 

Then Will brought his hands to the sides of Hannibal’s face. Looking into the older man’s eyes, he tried to find words for the moment. Failing, he instead brought their lips together, finding Hannibal more than ready to join a deep kiss. Will felt a jolt of connection surge through him. 

Parting briefly, Hannibal stroked Will’s cheek. “It's time to begin.”

**Author's Note:**

> I've been thinking about doing some one shots and tropes to, you know, ACTUALLY WRITE, and the AU-gust ones seem like just the thing.
> 
> Initially this was going to be far more explicit but I decided that version might actually become a larger work.


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